Counterterrorism Programs Coordinator (U.S Embassy Baghdad, Iraq) at US Dept of State - Bureau of Counterterrorism

Type of position: This is a non-status, non-permanent Personal Services Contract (PSC) position. The person selected will NOT acquire competitive or excepted service status with the federal government.

Open and closing dates: September 23, 2024 to October 23, 2024

Salary: Equivalent to FS-01, Step 10 (Overseas) ($191,900: exact starting salary TBD)

Benefits offered by the Department to PSCs: Refer to the Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM – 3 FAM 9100) for applicable compensation and benefits and the Department of State’s Standardized Regulations (DSSR) for country-specific allowances for postings overseas.  Final determination of benefits and allowances will be found within the contract. 

Type of employment: Full-time; open to all U.S. Citizens. This position is not eligible for telework.

Duration of employment: Temporary, non-status position of one (1) year and renewable for up to four (4) years. Renewal is at the Department’s discretion and needs.

Work Location and Travel: The program office for this position is the Department of State’s (DoS), Bureau of Counterterrorism, Office of Programs (CT/P) in Washington, D.C.  The position works for and with CT/P but will be assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. The position will be assigned to the Embassy's Political Section and report directly to the Political Counselor or to his/her designee.  Travel required (10-20%).

POSITION SUMMARY
The purpose of this position is to serve as a Counterterrorism Programs Coordinator in support of U.S. Embassy Baghdad and Consulate General in Erbil, Iraq, and the Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT) goals on matters related to civilian counterterrorism capacity building in Iraq. The Counterterrorism Programs Coordinator is primarily responsible for planning, managing, coordinating, overseeing, monitoring, and reporting on CT-funded foreign assistance programming, to include activities funded through Non-proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining, and Related (NADR) funds and Economic Support Funds (ESF).  Programming includes civilian capacity building in the areas of counterterrorism criminal justice (law enforcement, prosecutorial, judicial, and corrections sectors) and countering violent extremism (CVE). This position is a direct and necessary link between CT and United States Mission-Iraq (USMI) responsible for ensuring the proper stewardship of the Bureau’s foreign assistance funds in Iraq.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Counterterrorism Programs Coordinator performs a wide variety of functions to support reporting, monitoring, strategic planning, and coordination of counterterrorism programs in their assigned location or region:

• Design, coordinate, manage, and oversee a comprehensive suite of CT-funded civilian counterterrorism and CVE programming implemented by U.S. government and non-governmental partners, including that implemented by the Diplomatic Security Anti-Terrorism Assistance program (DS/ATA) in close coordination with the Regional Security Officer (RSO).
• Manage the full lifecycle of CT assistance (both NADR and ESF) to include strategic and budget planning, design, coordination, implementation, oversight, monitoring and evaluation, and closeout. Ensure CT assistance projects meet strategic objectives and foreign assistance priorities set by USMI and CT. 
• In close collaboration with other agencies at post, serve as USMI’s primary point of contact for civilian counterterrorism and countering violent extremism programming and related reporting.
• Provide policy analysis support and program advice to CT on programming in assigned location or region. Such advice may address a range of issues, to include strategy, capacity, budget, training and technical assistance requirements, procurement planning, and reviewing sustainability of CT investments. 
• Identify support requirements related to counterterrorism law enforcement and lead the preparation of documentation for procurement of technical services, training, and commodities and the monitoring of procurement actions, including drafting source origin waivers, contract and grant solicitations, scopes of work, bilateral letters of agreement, delivery, and acceptance of items procured.
• Report on CT-funded programmatic developments in assigned location or region.
• Serve as CT’s Grants Officer Representative (GOR) and/or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) on select CT-funded programs and aid CT’s Washington-based GORs and CORs in the management and monitoring of programs.
• Identify and develop key programmatic areas for assistance.
• Coordinate with other donors and other U.S. agencies to ensure program de-confliction. Coordinate fully with USAID and PRM during the program design phase and prior to implementation.
• Liaise with host nation counterparts on assistance needs and programs.
• Liaise with host nation counterparts on training and ensure timely completion of vetting of participants.
• Compile monitoring data to inform performance measurement analyses.
• Oversee training deliveries.
• At the direction of the Political Counselor or his/her designee, facilitate the Country Team’s review and approval of Work Plans as well as other formal project documents.
• Help to ensure implementer performance and compliance with requirements in the Statements or Scopes of Work (SOW) and Award Notices.
• Synchronize CT efforts with other civilian and military programming.
• Ensure prompt, clear communication with and between implementers and/or Washington staff on key issues, as appropriate.
• As assigned by the Political Counselor or his/her designee and relevant to counterterrorism, participates in visits by senior officials and serves as an escort or control officer. Arranges the itineraries and logistical support for official visitors. Briefs visiting officials and USMI staff on the role of CT and the status of CT-funded projects and related initiatives.
• Prepares background materials, talking points, and reports that CT and other U.S. government actors can use in preparing speeches and briefings to articulate CT programming in assigned location or region.

Your resume serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Your resume must include the dates of all qualifying experience (from month/year to month/year) and the number of hours worked/volunteered per week. Applicants must address all requirements below within their resume or within a cover sheet.

Applicants who are selected for an interview will be required to provide a writing sample no longer than two pages which describes their experience with program management and collaboration with the U.S. interagency. 

Applicants who do not address these items will be eliminated from consideration.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret (TS) security clearance prior to appointment. Ideal candidate will have an active TS clearance with ability to obtain SCI access.
• Must be able to obtain medical clearance for perform of duties worldwide.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• At least seven years of experience planning, managing, coordinating, monitoring, and/or evaluating programs.
• At least seven years of experience working on counterterrorism, law enforcement, border security, or other criminal justice sector issues (counterterrorism preferred).
• Demonstrated experience in collaborating with members of the U.S. interagency, experience in an Embassy setting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with high-level officials (governmental and non-governmental).
• Demonstrated experience with U.S. government procurement, contracts, grants, interagency agreements, and/or other programmatic implementing mechanisms.
• Demonstrated experience designing, managing, and overseeing foreign aid, especially security sector capacity building programs.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively with foreign officials of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to review and analyze written material and make recommendations for action.
• Ability to review, analyze, and recommend improvements to work processes and administrative operations.

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT

• We will review all applications received to ensure they meet the basic qualification requirements. Applications that do not address the items outlined in the KEY REQUIREMENTS and the REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS will be eliminated from consideration.
• After we review and evaluate all applications, the most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the program office for further consideration for interviews within approximately two weeks after the announcement’s closing date.
• The best-qualified candidate will receive a tentative job offer dependent on the ability to obtain a TS security clearance and worldwide medical clearance, which takes an average of at least two to six months. A contract for employment cannot be signed until the candidate is fully cleared.

For any questions, please contact us at email address: CTContracts@state.gov.